, 1887-09-17
LET 1T TAKE A TUMBLE.

OuE esIeemeu mpOTary, tne GUN,
with Its usual looseness of expression,
says
The arrival of three land patents for
citizens of Wyoming and Two for residents
OF n braska is sufficient cause for THE
LEADER to 90 into ecstacles oyer the pres
ent administration CT the land office and
Register Wilson's ~benignity.
The simple fact that THE LEADER has
not gone into ecstacies over the land de-
partment or anything else would have lit
tie influence in restraining our more or
less esteemed contemporary, the hys
terical Sun, from alleging that it had, if
it felt so inclined. Anchor its nose against
the grindstone Of hard facts and its use
fulnes as a moulder of public opinion is
destroyed. Steer it up against the public
crib with a carte blanche to help itself and
the Sun is mute as an oyster; gently but
firmly keep It's grip from the public pat
rcnage and ~straightway it sets up a howl
of vIrtuous Indignation that would split a
board fence.
The land question ID a sore subject with
Lhahb PCODlut Out VIZ SUN DciltNo. huu h6-
sert the same emphatcally, that the bona
bona hde settler is better circumstanced
under the present administration than he
ever was under any other. Some people
may sigh for the old regime, and some or
gans may paint its virtues in glowing colors,
but suppose the same methods had been
pursued for ten years longer-where could
the actual settler then procure a foot of
available ground under the land laws in
this territory The distinction between
this administration and other administra-
tons. 50 far as land matters are concerned,
Is that the poor man is placed on exactly
as good . footing as the rich
man. Think of one cattle com
pany owning 100000 acres of land
in this county alone. Think Of the same
amount of land divided up into small
ranches. Think of the increased amount
of taxes (for by some singular fatality the
poor man is assessed up to the top notch
of his possessions. while the rich man
escapes with a rate proportionately so to
500 per cent less); think of the largely
increased population, the increased agri-
cultural production and the increased
trade that would accrue had the actual
settlers been given a fair show since the
organization of this territory.
Think of some of these things first and
howl a~fterward, if you feel SO inclined.
OF course it gives the Sun no pleasure
to learn that citizens OF Wyoming are re-
ceiving patents for the desert land upon
which they have fled, for the mere an
nouncement of this practically destroys
that organs only stock in trade. O.,
In all the greatest and most beneficial
reforms known in the history of the
world, private individuals have frequently
suffered cruel wrong. But the sun total
Of good more than overbalanced the sum
total of evil, hence the world at large
was benefited while the few individuals
suffered. 1t is exactly SO with the land
business, but has the Sun ever paused
20 consider that no human institution has
yet been devised which worked equal and
exact Justice to everybody, Judging from
surface indications we should say it had
not.
The Sun from the very outset has
treated this matter with partisan bitter
ness. 1t has published rumors as solemn
facts. without pretensc of investigation.
1t has wilfully m~isconstrued the motives
of officials; it has misrepresented, distort,
ed and falsiied facts; it has persistently
declined to see the other side of the story
in a word its treatment of the subject has.
been loose and irresponsible, recklessly
abusive, frequently stupid, but always
malicious and ~garrulous, until the hum bic
citizen of Wyoming has raised his hands
in holy horror and prayed the good Lord
to avert the p~lethoric calamity of the
Sun'I perennial but exceedingly tiresome
diatribes on the land question.
Would it be too much to now ask the
Sun to descend from the realms of ro-
nance into the field of hard facts and
give a fair, square and coherent talk on
the land question: